The present invention relates to a receptacle device for connecting electric power plugs to an electric power source, which are used for a variety of electronic apparatuses such as a personal computer, a printer, a monitor TV, a stereo unit, a CD player and the like, and more particularly to a receptacle device having a function adapted to charge a secondary cell, i.e., an electric power strip including a cell charging receptacle.
Recently, a variety of electronic apparatuses have been proposed and developed to satisfy an increase of user""s needs, so that many types of the electronic apparatuses are pervaded in private homes. There are a lack of the number of socket devices for connecting the electronic apparatuses to an electric power source. Consequently, a receptacle device having a plurality of plug receiving portions is widely used to connect the electronic apparatuses to the electric power source.
Further, with the development of the electronic apparatuses, all kinds of electronic devices and toys are proposed and electric cells are used as an electric power. Particularly, in the field of a secondary cell which is chargeable or dischargeable, cells of Nixe2x80x94MH type or lithium-ion type which are light in weight and of a high quality are developed and such the secondary cell is mainly used in place of a primary cell.
When the secondary cell is to be used, the secondary cell placed on a private charger by the user and the charged secondary cell is set on the electronic device or the toy to operate it.
However, in the prior private charger to charge the secondary cell, the plug thereof is inserted into a plug receiving portion of the receptacle device connected to the electric power source so that the secondary cell may be charged. Thus, the shortage of the number of the plug receiving portions will be raised.
In order to solve such the problems, there is provided a receptacle device for an electric power having a socket body on which an electric circuit means for charging a secondary-cell and a secondary cell receiving portion are formed.